Electric switch



July 16, 1935. H. E. NORVIEL 2,008,293

ELECTRIC SWITCH Original Filed April 15, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l H. E. NORVIEL ELECTRIC SWITCH July 16, 1935.

Original Filed April 13, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 16, 1935. H, E. NORVIEL 2,008,293

ELECTRIC SWITCH Original Filed April 15, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 16, 1935 umreo STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC SWITCH Application April 13, 1932, Serial No. 605,090 Renewed November 28, 1934 12 Claims. (Cl. 20011) for controllins it. plurality of electric circuits.

Que of the objects of the invention is to Provide a switch structure of the rotary or oscillatable type, that may be manufactured at a low cost and that will he efi cient in its operation to move a circuit completing assembly into a plura' ty 01? positions.

Another object is to provide resilient means adapted for assembly with a circuit closing means within a housing that cooperates with the and pull actua in m m e to prevent ratt s. nd unnec ssa y Another object of the present invention is to provide n mproved lighting system for automobile vehicles, and aims to provide a novel and improved controller connections with an auxiliary c ntr l r to c n r l th i e a he light circuit, whereby the controller in being moved to one position the side lights will be lighted, andcn movement of the controller to. position headlights may be made bright and the side lights will disconnected, and on actuating the controller, operable indep nden y, t head l ht w l he mad the. side lights be connected with the. head light dim circuit. 7

Further objects and advantages of the present vention will be app rent Irom the fol wi description, reference being had to the accom: drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the presentinvention is clearly show In th drawin 2- 1 s a side eleva ion of on form of a switch structure in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of a switch structure substantially as indicated by the arrow 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 isa view taken on the line 83 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the switch structure taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

, Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the lines 5-5 of Figs. '2 and 4.

Fig. 6 is :a sectional view taken on the line He! Pig. 3.

I is aplan view of adriving member shown in in 5 and 6.-

lc- B is a det l pl n v w o a d in wa her ne d fo of the p en n ti 9 i a meme i w ken a the l ne 99 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a detail plan view of a movable contact or circuit completing means.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on the line of Fig. 10..

Fig. 12 is a detail plan view of another driv- 5 ing washer used in the present invention.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken on line |3|3 of Fig. 12.

Figs. 14 and 15 are plan and sectional views respectively, of a circuit completing means, Fig. 10 15 being taken on the line l5|5 of Fig. 14.

Fig. 1 6 is a. side elevation of a switch showing a modified form of the present invention looking in the direction of arrow l6 of Fig. 17.

Fig. 17 is a rear end elevation of the switch 5 structure substantially as indicated by the arrow ll of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a sectional view taken on the line |8-.|8 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 19 is a sectional view taken on the line |9|9 of Fig. 20.

Figs. 20 and 21 are sectional views taken on the lines 20-20 and 2|-2| of Figs. 16 and 19 respectively.

Fig. 22 is a plan view of a circuit completing means shown in Figs. 20 and 21.

Fig. 23 is a sectional view taken on the line 23-23 of Fig. 22.

Figs. 24, 25 and 26 are circuit diagrams showing the different positions of the switch parts disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 15 inclusive of the drawings, 20 indicates a mounting bracket of sheet metal or the like that is provided with a leg or shelf 2| and an apertured ear or leg 22. The leg 22 provides means for attaching the bracket 20 to a support or instrument panel 23 of an automobile by suitable bolt and nut device, not shown. To the leg 2| of the bracket 20 is secured a cupshaped housing 24 that has a back wall 25, the wall being secured to the leg 2| of the bracket in any preferred means, as by spot welding or the like. Coaxial with the center of the cup-shaped housing, the bottom wall thereof and the leg 2| are provided with aligned apertures 26 to provide a journal bearing for a non-conducting drive member 21. The wall and the leg 2| are also provided with aligned elongated apertures or guide openings 28 having edges 29 and 30 to form stops for a push and pull rod 3|. The rod has an end 32 bent transversely to the main portion of the rod, the end 32 extending through the guide openings 28 and into a radial slot or channel 33 formed in the drive member 21. The diameter of the rod end 3| substantially corresponds to the width of the openings 28 and the channel 33 so as to eliminate lost play between same to a minimum. The end 3| cooperates with the stops 29 and 36 for limiting the rotation or oscillation of the drive member 2'! within the housing and the linear movement of the push and. pull rod 3 I.

The switch back 34 is provided with terminal connections 35, 36, 31, 33, 39 and 40 exterior of the back, and the fixed contact points 4| and 4|a flush with the interior surface of the back within the housing. The terminal connections 35 and 36 may include fuse supporting brackets 44 and45 respectively for retention of a fuse N10. The back 34 operates to close the housing 24 and may be secured thereon by tanks 42 circumferentially spaced about the housing and received in corre. sponding grooves or notches 43 of the switch back 34. I

Within the housing provided by the cup 24 and the back 34, there is a contact actuating as-.

semblyor circuit completing means mounted for rotatable or oscillatable engagement with the, fixed contact points 4| on the switch back 34. The assembly has a driving engagement with the member 2?. This assembly comprises the drive member 2? of disc formation and is provided on one side thereof with a hub 46 that forms a shaft portion journalled within the apertures 26 of the switch casing wall 25 and the leg 2| of the bracket 26 This disc 2'! is provided with the radial slot 33 which terminates in an aperture 41 and adapted to receive an end 48 of an anti-rattle spring 49. The end48 is bent at an angle forming an anchoring means for retaining the spring within the radial slot 33. The slot is gauged as at 56 to receive the other end 5| of thespring. The end 5| adapted to receive a driving washer 66 having an The driving washer 6| has tangs 62 to be received within notches 630i a ring contact plate 64, the tangs 52 are bent toward the axis of the washer 6i and into their respective notches provided by the plate 64. The tangs are of a less dimension than the notches so as to permit a sliding axial movement of the contact plate 64 relative to the washer 6|.

The portion 55 is of square shape having one corner chamfered as at 65. The portion 55 is aperture 6? corresponding to the formation of the'portion 55., The washer 66 is provided with tan s 68 having an ear 69 bent at an angle as shown'in Fig. I3. These tangs 68 are received by notches ill of a contact ring H. The tangs are bent inwardly over the plate H, there being sufficient play between tangs and the plate to permit slight axial movement of the contact plate 7| relative to the Washer 66.

Upon assembling the switch structure disclosed, the member 21 with the spring 49 located within the radial channel 33 are first placed within the cup 24 so that the hub portion 46 is received within the journalling apertures 26 and the channel 33 will have communication with the elongated guide openings 28 to receive the end 32 of the rod 3|. Contact springs 15 and 16 are interposed between the elements BI, 64 and 66, respectively within the confines of the respective tangs of the washers 6| and substantially as illustrated in Fig. 5. The circuit completing means, or in other words the contact rings 64 and H respectively, are placed in mating engagement with their hub portions 54 and 55 respectively, on the member, Zl so that the to ngues 59 and 60 of the driving'wafsher '6 |farewithirithe notches 56 and 51 respectively, and the square shaped aperture 61 is about the hub portion 55. Thus, the Washers 6| and 66 are moved in unison with the member 2?, and which in turn drives the contact rings 64 and ltwrespectively. The switch back 34 is next'assembled with the case 24 so that the tongues 42v are received by the notches 43 of the switch back. These tongues and notches are 'so arranged about the peripheries of the case and back soas .to provide only one relation of correct assembly. By this arrangement the fixed terminal contacts 4i and 45a supported by the back will be always in cooperable engagement with the contact bosses 3t? and 6| respectively of the circuit'completing' means, that is, the fixed contacts 4| will always be irithe pathof movei ment of one or the other'ofthe bossesafi of the contact'ring. 64 and the fixedcontact's 4m will always be in the path of movement of the bosses 8| of the contact ring l i'when the circuit complet ing means as a wholeis 'rotated by the actuating means. g. v Y g The actuating means for the switch includes the push and pull rod 3! having the e'ndQZ ex tending through the apertures 26 and into the radial slot 33 that'bears against the spring 4, 9 The end 32 is guided by theelongated openings 28 in a linear movementto rotate the disci lin its bearing 26. The'other e ndof the rod 3! extends through a bushing or sleeve 83 extending through anaperture of the leg 22. .The jbushing hasa shoulder 85 that bears .z'i'gainst the panel'ze'whenl a screw-threaded shank'o' f the bushing is secured by a nut 86.. tightly drawn against a spacer Bl adjacent theinner wall of thepanel123 so asto.

keep the rod portion 3 substantially in a'parallel relation with the leg 21 and atthe ame'em. retain the end 32 iritheradial slot s33 'The'rod is provided with a knob 88 which facilitates in the. movement of same to rotate the circuit'comp1t-' ingassembly with the housing 24;". j' :The extreme movement ar oscillation permitted by the circuit completing means is controlled by edges 29 and 30 of thefaperture 26 cooperating with the end 32. It'will'be'readily seen from the reference to Figs. 'llto 15 that the push'and p'ull movement of the rod' fil will cause the end 2:32 to oscillate the member 2'] about its pivot formed by the hub 46 journalled in the aperturesjd' This oscillation of the member 2,! willin turn' oscillate the circuit completingassembly, so that the bosses flfl and 8| may be brought into electrical engagement with their respective contact termi-. nals4| and Ma, whereby electrical circuits may be completed through various ones of the termi nals 4| and 4 la as the circuit completingassembly is moved from one position toanother. H Referring now to Figs. 16 to 23 inclusive, a modified. form of the switch structure is illustrated comprising aswitch back I34 having'terminal contacts I36 arranged in a circular row and provided with contact surfaces E38. within the housing. The back operates to close a housing I24 and is secured to the housing by the tangs 46 that are received by corresponding notches or grooves M! of the back N34. The housing'l24 is" secured to the legzl in'asimilar manner a's noustratedin Figs. 20 and 21.

triangular. formation about a central opening I54.

At pointsintermediate the contact points I5I, 152mm I53 the'plates are provided with tongues orprojections I54, I55 and I56 punched therefrom to engage notches I51, I58 .and I59 respectively in the drive member I21. The arrangement and' dimcnsions of the driving plate and the contact closing member are so proportioned and'arrangedthat the member I 50 will have a relatively loose driving engagement with the member I21 and will be capable of slight axial movement along the common axis thereof.

The member I21 is provided with a hub or boss I58 and has a radial slot or channel I60. The hub I59 forms a shaftportion journalled with an aperture I6I of the bottom wall I 25 of the housing I24. The aperture I6I is in alignment with theaperture 26 of the leg 2| of the bracket 20. The'channel I50 communicates with an aperture I62 provided in the hub portion I46 and said channel extends radially to the circumferences of the member-I21 as shown in Fig. 18. The apertureIli-Zcemmunicates with a channel I65 formed in the bottom of an annular recess I66 in the member'l21. The channel I65 forms an anchoring means for-one end I61 of a spring I68 located in the radial slot I60. The channel IE0 is gauged as at I60 to receive a free or flexible end I10 of thespring I60. This end I10 is put under tension by the end 32 of the rod 3I so as to prevent rattles or noises between the rod and the switch structure.

Upon assembling the modified form of the switch structure, the member I21 is placed within the cup-shaped housing I24 so that the hub portion I59 is received within the journalling apertures I SI and 26 and the channel, I60 will have communication with aligned elongated openings to receive the end 32 of therod 3 I. A spring I is interposed between the contact plate I50 and the member I21. One end of the spring IE5 rests on the bottom of the annular recess I65 and the other and bears against the plate I50 as illus- The member I50 is p aced upon the member I21 so that the extensions 154,155 and I56 are received by the notches I51, I50 and I59 respectively. The dimensions of the extensions and the notches are so measured that the plate will have an axial movement relative to the member I21. It will be noted that the notch I 59 and extension I56 are larger than the other notches and extensions. This arrangement provides a one-way mating engagement between the contact plate and the member I21, which assures that the contact plate I50 will always be assembled in proper relation with the member I 21., The switch back I35 is next assembled with the case I24 in a manner similar to the assembly of the back 34 to the housing 24. By these provisions the fixed contacts supported by the back I35 willalways be in cooperable engagement with thecontact bosses I5I, I52 and I53 of the circuit completing memberI 50, that is, the fixed contacts will be in the path of movement of one or the other of these contact bosses when the circuit completing member 21 is rotated by the rod M. The terminal members may include fuse support ing brackets I80 and I8I for retention of a fuse I32.

In the use of the switch shown in Figs. 1 to 15 inclusive, the same is preferably embodied in a system of electrical distribution as disclosed in Figs. 24, 25 and 26.

In these figures 200 represents a battery or other source of electrical energy from which current will flow from one of its terminals to a lead I thence to the bracket 44 through the fuse I00 and the bracket 45 to the connector 36. The other terminal of the electrical energy is connected to ground 202.

The normal circuit for the horn will be obvious from Figs. 24, 25, and 26 and it will be seen that a horn 205 is connected to the connector 36 fixed to the switch back through a lead 206. A switch 201 is normally held in open position by a spring 208. Therefore, when the operator exerts enough pressure to the switch 201 to overcome the influence of the spring 208 the switch 201 will be closed to operate the born.

The diiferent lamp circuits are connected through the switch by the various terminal connectors located on the exterior of the back 34 and connected to the contacts M and Ho which cooperate with the circuit completing means which include the contact plates 63 and 66. Thus, when the switch mechanism is actuated from the position shown in Fig. 24 to that shown in Fig. the following circuits are completed to the tail and side lamps in the following manner, from the battery 200 to the lead 23 I, terminal 45, fuse I00, terminal 44, connector 36, contact ring 63 and then the current is divided, a portion of the current flowing from ring 63 through terminal 31, lead 2 I I, lamp H0 and back to the battery through ground, while another portion of the current will be directed from the ring 68 to the connector 38, lead 2 I6, side lamp H5 and back to the battery through a ground connection.

When the switch mechanism is moved to the position shown in Fig. 26 to connect the bright side of the head lamps in a circuit together with the tail lamp circuit which has been disclosed, the following circuit to the bright lamp is as follows: from the battery 200 through wire or lead 20L bracket terminal 44, fuse I04, bracket terminal 45, terminal 36 cooperating contact ring 53, terminal 39, lead 22L a supplemental switch 222, terminal 223 a lead 224 passing through the bright circuit of the lamp 220 back to the battery through ground. It is to be understood that the contact ring 63 controls the open and closed condition of the circuit.

When it is desired to dim the headlights 220 and to simultaneously light or cut in the side light when the main switch is in the position shown in Fig. 26, the operator manually shifts the blade 223 to close the dim circuit or in other words the blade is connected with a terminal 225. It will be noted that the contact ring 65 which moves in unison with the contact ring 63 has bridged the terminal contacts and 4 Ia, the termnal did is connected with one of the terminals 4i by the connector 38. Therefore, when the blade 222 is connected with terminal 225 as shown in Fig. 26, current will flow from the battery 224, lead 20I, terminal 44, fuse I00, terminal 45, connector 36, ring 63, terminal 39, lead 22 I, blade 222, a terminal 225, from thence the current will be divided, a portion passing through a lead 226 to the dim circuit of the lamp 220, to ground back to battery, and another portion of current will be directed from the terminal 225 to a lead 227, terminal 4| a, ring 66, another terminal contact Ma, connector 38, terminal 4|, lead 2H3, side lamp 2 I and back to battery 20!! through ground. This condition of the lights and the side lamps will lac-maintained as long as the blade 222 is in. contact with terminal 225. As soon as the operator desires to connect the bright circuit he. merely shifts the blade 222 to connect the terminal 223, which automatically disconnects theside lamps from the circuit.

To close the various circuits as viewed in Figs. 24, 25 and 26, the circuit completing means, namely, contact rings 63 and 67, are rotated in unison in aclockwise direction. a

While the form of embodiment of the present inventi'on'as herein disclosed, constitutes a pre- :ferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In an electric switch, the combination comprising an angle bracket, 'a' switch housing mounted upon one leg of said bracket, a driving member having a hub portion and a radial slot, said hub portion journalled in an aperture of said housing, said housing having an elongated guide slot in communication with said radial slot; a guide member mounted upon the other leg of said bracket; an operating rod passing through said guide member and'extending through said elongated guide slot and into said radial slot; and.

. a resilient member located in said radial slot engaging 'said rod for maintaining the mechanism quiet inits operation.

2. In an electric switch, the combination comprising a casing, a driving member within said casing having a hub portion journalled in said casing and having a radial slot for receiving an actuating member without said casing, said casing having a longitudinally extending slot afiording communication between said slots; and an actuating rod substantially corresponding in diameter to the widths of said respective slots, said actuating rod having an offset portion extending through said longitudinal slot and into said radial slot to oscillate said driving member within said casing.

3. In an electric switch, the combination comprising a casing, a driving member within said casing having a hub portion journalled in said casing and having a radial slot for receiving an actuating member without said casing, said casing having a. longitudinally extending slot affording communication between said slots; and an actuating rod substantially corresponding in di ametcr to the widths of said respective slots, said actuating rod having an ofiset portion extending through said longitudinal slot and into said radial slot to oscillate said driving member within saidzcasing; and resilient means anchored in said radial slot engaging said rod for maintaining said mechanism quiet in its operation.

14.1 In an electric switch, the combination comprising an angle bracket; a switch housing mounted upon one leg of said bracket; a driving member having a hub and a channel, said hub journalled upon said housing, said housing hav ing a guide opening in communication with said channel; a sleeve mounted upon the other leg of said bracket; an operating rod slidably supported by said sleeve, said rod having a transverse portion extending through said opening and into said channel whereby said driving member may be oscillated upon actuation of said rod; and resilient means anchored in said channel engaging the end of said transverse portion for maintaining said mechanism quiet in its operatien.

5. In an electric switch the combination com prising, a cup-shaped housing having a flat wall provided with a bearing surface and an elongated guide opening; a supporting plate having a boss and a radial slot, said boss journalled insaid bearing surface and said slot communicating with said guide opening; circuit completing means coupled with said plate; a bracket supporting said housing; and a control rod slidablysupported by said bracket, said rod having an end passing through said opening and into said] slot whereby said end will oscillate said circuit completing means upon movement of said rod.

6. In anelectric. switch the combination com prising, an angle supporting bracket, a switch case mounted upon one leg of said bracket and providing a bearing for switch mechanism within said case, said case having a longitudinal guide opening, and a switch controller mounted for reciprocation through the other leg of said bracket, said controller having an end extending through said opening and coupled with said switch mechanism to actuate same in a'rotary movement while said rod is moving in a' longitudinal direction.

'1. In an electric switch, the combination comprising; a cup-shaped casing having an aperture to provide a bearing and. having a guide opening; a driving member within said casing said driving member having a boss and a radial slot on one side thereof, said boss being journalledwithin the bearing of said casing andsaid guide opening communicating with said slot; a circuit closing means coupled with said drivingmember; a switch back having fixed contacts for closing the casing and cooperating with said circuit closing means to maintain said boss within the bearing; and means outsideof said casing extending through said opening and into said slot to actuate said circuit closing means concentric to said boss While said means is moved in said guide opening.

8. In a switch of the class described, the com bination comprising; a cup-shaped casing having an elongated opening; a dielectric driving mem ber having a hub portion journalled on said casing and providing a recess; a switch back closing the casing; circuit closing means carried by said driving member, said means cooperating with the back to maintain the hub portion upon the bear.- ing; and an actuator slidably supported outside of the casing and having an end extending through the elongated opening and into therecess for oscillating the driving member.

9. In an anti-rattle device, the combination comprising; a cup-shaped housing having a flat wall provided with an opening; a rotatable mem ber journalled within the housing and. provided with a slot transverse to the opening; a bearing; a rod slidably supported in the bearing and movable in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the fiat wall; a support for the bearing to maintain the parallel relation between the rod and wall; means associated with the rod protruding through the opening and into the slot, said means adapted to rotate the movable mem-. ber on movement of the rod; and a leaf spring anchored in the slot and having one endbearing against the protruding means to urge same outwardly so as to bias the rod within the bearing to eliminate rattles between the rod and its associated elements.

10. In an anti-rattle device, the combination comprising; a plate provided with an opening; a movable member journalled on the plate, said member having a slot adjacent the opening; an actuator movable in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the plate; a bearing for the actuator; a support for the bearing; an extension projecting from the actuator and extending loosely through the opening and into the slot, said extension adapted to rotate the movable member on movement of the actuator; and a leaf spring within the slot pressing against the extension to bias the actuator Within the bearing for maintaining the actuator quiet in all positions thereof.

11. In an actuated device having a part rotatable over a plane surface and a push-pull actuator movable in a plane substantially parallel to the plane surface and having an angular exten sion loosely coupled to the rotatable part, antirattle means for the coupling comprising in combination; a leaf spring; and means including a recess in the rotatable part for confining the spring, said spring having a part interposed between the actuator and the rotatable part, and flexed to eliminate rattling of the coupled relation of the actuator and the rotatable part.

12. In an actuated device having an actuated part and a reciprocating actuator movable in substantially parallel spaced planes, and a support for maintaining that relation, coupling means between the actuator and the actuated part, comprising in combination; an angular extension provided by the actuator; means including a radial slot in the actuated part to receive the angular extension; and a leaf spring located in the slot and operable on the angular extension to eliminate undesirable looseness in the coupling means.

ANDERSON BANKING COMPANY,

Executor of the Estate of Harry E. Norm'el, g0

Deceased.

By LINFIELD MYERS,

President. 

